Phys.org April 30, 2018
The ability to self-assemble, reconfigure and disassemble in response to chemical signals is a common trait in biological materials, but not in manmade ones. A team of researchers in the US (City University of New York, UC Irvine) started with the base molecule naphthalenediimide (NDI), which is an organic semiconductor, and selectively modified it on both sides by exposing to biochemical signals in the form of simple amino acids. This process allowed the formation and degradation of nanomaterials with wire-like features capable of conducting electrical signals. By using different amino acids, researchers were able to direct the development of nanomaterials with different properties, including a programmable nanostructure with the ability to turn electrical conduction on and off using time-dependent self-assembly and disassembly… read more. TECHNICAL ARTICLE
Formation of electronic nanowires is chemically programmed by incorporation of amino acids into self-assembling molecules. Credit: Design by Ella Maru Studio.